NHAI Amrita Hospital sign MoU to train first responders to prevent road fatalities

Faridabad (Haryana), Mar 24 (PTI) With India recording the highest number of road fatalities globally in 2023, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Monday signed an MoU with Amrita Hospital, Faridabad, for a stronger emergency response system, a hospital spokesperson said.
     According to an official statement, this collaboration marks the launch of a long-term polytrauma awareness campaign, 'Sar Salamat toh Ghar Salamat,' which will train thousands of NHAI ambulance personnel, private ambulance operators and Haryana Police patrol vehicles, with a special focus on highway emergency response. 
    As part of this initiative, over 150 ambulance workers received hands-on training on Monday from Dr Gaurav Kakkar, Senior Consultant, Lead Neuro-Anaesthesia and Neurocritical Care, on critical interventions for road accident victims and emergency preparedness. 
    This is the first step in a large-scale training drive, with periodic sessions every three months, aimed at building a nationwide emergency response workforce, the spokesperson said. 
    A biker's rally further accompanied the event to spread awareness and education.
    This initiative aligns with the government's aim to reduce road fatalities and injuries by 50% by the year 2030, as per its commitment under the Stockholm Declaration, the hospital official added.
The country saw over 1.70 lakh deaths in 4,80,000 road accidents in 2023, with the national highways and expressways accounting for 39.2 per cent of road accidents in 2022. 
    Ajay Tamta, Minister of State, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, said, "The government has been working dedicatedly with a 4E approach of Education, Engineering, Enforcement, and Emergency Care to reduce the number of road accidents by half. 
    "Strategic collaborations with institutions like Amrita Hospital are key to achieving this goal. Emergency preparedness remains a crucial step in preventing accident-related deaths, and ambulance workers and the police play a vital role in trauma response," he said, adding that the collaboration would ensure that first responders receive specialised training regularly.
    Mohammad Safi, Regional Officer (Delhi), NHAI, said while India's roads witness alarming fatalities, quick intervention can improve survival rates in accidents. 
    "Timely medical intervention increases survival rates significantly; nearly 50 per cent of road fatalities can be averted if medical attention is given within the first hour. This partnership ensures continuous skill-building for emergency responders. Quick, well-trained actions can be the difference between life and death," said Swami Vijayamritananda Puri, Amrita Hospital. 

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)